Grid retaining means for electrical appliances



May 17, 1938. H 'A SMH-H y 2,117,579

GRID RETAINIllG MEANS FOR ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES Filed'L June l 1957 Patented May 17, 1938 4PATEISJT oF'FIcfE GRID RETAINING MEANS Fon. ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES Howard A. smith, st. Louis, Mo., assig'nor to 'Knapp-Monarch Company, St.,Louis, Mo., a

corporation of Missouri Application Juno 1, 1937, serial No.1iaa15 11 Claims.

An object of my invention is to provide simple,

durable and inexpensive means to retain the grid l of an electrical appliance in position relative to the casing o f the appliance.

A further object is to provide retainer means which is readily operable by manipulation of a 4single set screw or similar retaining device.

Another object is to provide a retainer .in the form of a retainer strip secured to the inner surface of a grid and having one end coacting with a perforation of an electrical appliance casing and the other end cooperating with a set screwor other retaining element whereby both ends of the retainer Istrip, and thereby the grid, are retained in operative position relative to an appliance casmg. L

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

Figure 1 is al front elevation of an electrical appliance (a sandwich toaster beingillustrated) with which my grid` retaining means has been associated.

AFigure 2 is a 'perspective view of the upper grid thereof showing a portion-of the grid retaining means secured thereto.

Figure 3 is an enlarged end elevation, partly inl `reference character 4B .to indicate a base of an electrical appliance, such' as a sandwich toaster. Casings C and C' are mounted on the base B and suitably hinged -or otherwise connected to the base in the usual manner.` HandlesH are provided for supporting the base B when moving it from one place toanother, these handle members also serving'as feet to support the base B above a table top or the like.

'Ihe casings C and C have open upper and lower sides respectively which are normally closed by gridsl G and G'. These grids may be fiat inA `character or have beads forming wallie iron patterns, or thelike, and if desired several sets of which just t within the outline of the casings.

My grid retainer means includes a retainer bar 'or stripiR formed of strap iron or .the like and fixed to the inner surface ofthe grid. At one end the retainer is provided with a finger indicated at II, while at the oppositefend a perforatedear I3 isy provided. The perforation thereof is indicated at I4.

The end II of the retainer R is adapted for entry into a perforation I2 of the casing C or C as the case may be. A set screw I5 is threaded through a boss I6 of the casing C, or C', and is provided exteriorly of the casing with an operating knob I'I preferably formed of insulating material. The inner end of the set screw I5 is preferably pointed, as indicated at' I9, to facilitate entry of the set screw into the perforation I4 of the ear I3.

Lugs I8 are formed on the set screw adjacent the inner end thereof'to prevent disengagement of the set screw from the casing when the screw is unscrewed. These lugs limit the unscrewing movement thereof.

As shown in the upper portion of Figure 3, the set Vscrew (here indicated as I5a) may have a slotted head I'Ia or the' like, instead oi' a knob whereby the grid is removable only by the use of a screw driver or other tool. v

The retainer R, being of sheet metal, is somewhatresilient. In Figure 3 the lower grid G is being placed in initial position and the end II of its retainer R it will be noted is relatively close to the bottom of the grid. The upper grid G'is in its nal position and it will be noted that the end I I of its retainer R is sprung farther away from the bottom of the grid. This places the end I I of the retainer under tension which yserves to bias l one side of the grid to engage the casing. Also the perforation I4 ofy the ear I3 is closer to the bottom of the grid G than to the bottom of the grid G whereby the tapered end I 9 of theset screw I5 acts to draw the perforation I4 farther away from the bottom of the' grid G', thus placin g the ear I3 lunder tension to bias the other side of the grid to engage the casing. l

It is thus possible to provide a. grid retaining means which in operation necessitates the mere placing of one end of the retainer bar in the perforation I2 and then swinging the grid to lposition on the casing and tightening the set screw.

Such a means is readily operable for interchanging grids when a plurality of them is provided. For instance, some grids may be lfor waiiles and others for sandwich toasters and thus the same appliance may be used for both articles.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my device without departingfrom the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical eq'uivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

-I claim as my invention:

1. In a grid retaining means for an electrical appliance, the combination of'a casing and a `grid to close an open side thereof, with means to retain. said grid in position relative to said casing comprising a projection from one side of said grid, the opposite side of said grid having a perforation, said casing having -an opening to receive said projection and an element threaded in the opposite side o'f said casing and received in said perforation to prevent disengagement of said opposite side from the casing when said element is screwed inwardly relative to said casing.

2. `In a grid retainingmeans for an electrical appliance, the combination of fa casing and a grid to close an open side thereof with means to retain said grid in position relative to said casing comprising a projection from one side of said grid, said casing having an opening to receive said projection, an element threaded in and.`

movable relative to theopposite side of said casing, said grid having an opening to receive the .inner end of said element when it is moved ining a perforation to receive one end thereof and an element threaded into the opposite side of said casing and coacting with one end of said strap element when the threaded element (is adf justed to one of its positions.

4. In a grid retaining means for an electrical appliance, thecombination oi a casing and a grid shouldered to flt within and close an open side thereof with means. to retain said grid in,

5. In a device/of the class described, the combination of a casing and a grid for closing .an open sidelthereof with means for retaining said vgrid in position relative to said casing comprisv ing a projection from one side of said grid, said casing being perforated to receive said projec- L tion and means opposite said projection to retain the opposite side of said grid in position and said projection in said perforation, said means comprising a set screw carried by said casing indesaid opposite end in predetermined position relativeto said casing.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination of a casing and a grid for closing an open side thereof with means for retaining said grid in position relative to said casing comprising a retainer strip having one end projecting from one side of said grid, said casing being perforated to receive said projection and means opposite said projection and coacting with the other end of said retainer strip to retain said opposite end in predetermined position relative to said casing, said means comprising a set screw carried by said casing and coacting with said lother end of said retainer strip.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination of a casing and a grid for closing an open side thereof with means for retaining said grid in position relative to said casing comprising a projection from one side of said grid, said casing being perforated to receive said projec, tion and means opposite said projection to retain the opposite side of said grid in position and said projection in said perforation, said means comprising a set screw threaded through a wall of said casing and coacting vwithin the casing with the grid and means on said set screw within said casing to prevent unscrewing of said set screw relative to said casing.

9. Grid retaining means for an electrical appliance comprising a retainer st'rip secured to the inner surface of a grid, the casing of the electrical appliance having an opening to receive one end of said retainer strip and a setlscrew threaded through said casing and adapted to engage the other end of said retainer strip for retaining the strip and thereby the grid in posi'- tion relative to the casing.

10. Grid retaining means for an electrical Aappliance Acomprising a retainer strip secured to the inner surface of a grid, the casing of the electrical appliance having an opening to receive one end of said retainer strip and a set screw threaded through said casing and adapted to engage the other end of said retainer strip for retaining the strip and thereby the grid in position relative to the casing, said set screw having means within the casing to prevent removal of the set screw .relative to the casing. Y l

11. Inra device of the class described, the combination of a casing and a grid for closing an open side thereof, with. means for retaining said grid in position relative to said casing comprising a retainer bar connected with the inner sur- `face of the grid, said casing being perforated to receive one end thereof and means coacting with the other end thereof and carried by said casing, said means placing said other end of said retainer bar under tension and said first end of said bar, when said grid is in position, being under tension whereby to bias the grid to engage the casing.

HOWARD'A. SMITH. 

